The present disclosure relates to image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimile machines.
In a full-color image forming apparatus, on the circumferential surface of each of a plurality of photosensitive drums corresponding to different colors, namely yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK) respectively, an electrostatic latent image is formed by use of a laser scanning unit, so that toner images of the different colors are formed with toner of the different colors.
The toner images of the different colors formed on the circumferential surfaces of the corresponding photosensitive drums are transferred one after another, in a superimposed fashion, onto an intermediary transfer belt that rotates endlessly. This produces a color image on the intermediary transfer belt. Subsequently, the color image formed on the intermediary transfer belt is transferred onto a sheet material such as a sheet of printing medium by use of a transfer roller. Then, the image transferred on the sheet material is pressed and heated by a fusing device to fuse the color image.
The photosensitive drum is built as a unit that can be integrally attached to and detached from the apparatus's main body. That is, the photosensitive drum is configured to be removable from the apparatus's main body on the occasion of maintenance etc. The drum unit that includes the photosensitive drum is provided with, in addition to the photosensitive drum, a cleaning blade, a charging device, an anti-static lamp, etc., and these can be, along with the photosensitive drum, taken out of the apparatus's main body.
Incidentally, when the light emitting portion of the anti-static lamp is contaminated with scattered toner, dust inside the apparatus, or the like, the amount of light drops, and insufficient static elimination results, producing a ghost image, for instance. Thus, the anti-static lamp requires regular cleaning.
For example, in connection with the cleaning of an anti-static lamp, there is known a configuration where a cleaning toner magazine is fitted with a cleaning member so that, when the magazine is replaced, the cleaning member automatically cleans the anti-static lamp.
However, an anti-static lamp is often arranged at a recessed position in a drum unit. This leads to the following problem: even with the conventional technology mentioned above, it is difficult to perform cleaning automatically on the occasion of replacement of the magazine. Also, the cleaning of an anti-static lamp arranged at such a recessed position is not easy even by human hands, and may require a special tool.
The present disclosure is made to overcome the inconveniences discussed above, and the aim of the present disclosure is to provide an image forming apparatus that allows easy cleaning of an anti-static lamp fitted to a drum unit.